WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gallup’s Standard of Living Index reached a new high of +50 in December, the best score found in seven years of tracking the index. Americans’ improved perspective on their personal standard of living comes as they spend more money and begin to view the national economy positively.

The index has labored through a long recovery from its recession-era slump, with lows of +14 in both October and November of 2008, when the global economic crisis erupted. But the latest ratings exceed even pre-crisis levels in 2008, illustrating a remarkable turnaround in how Americans view their standard of living.

The year 2014 started off with better standard of living readings than practically all other monthly readings before, with a +41 in January and February. From March to November, it improved further, but remained in a narrow range of +44 to +47. The +50 rating for December brings the index to an unprecedented level in its seven-year trend.

Gallup’s Standard of Living Index is a composite of Americans’ responses to two questions: one asking whether they are satisfied with their current standard of living, and the other asking whether their standard of living is getting better or worse. The index has a theoretical maximum of 100 (if all respondents say they are satisfied with their standard of living and say it is getting better) and a theoretical minimum of -100 (if all respondents are dissatisfied with their standard of living and say it is getting worse). The current score of +50 indicates Americans are quite positive about their standard of living, but even at its lows in the fall of 2008, Americans evaluated their standard of living positively overall.

Both dimensions of the index have improved by roughly five points over the past year – however, since the nadir of these perceptions in 2008, people’s outlook for their standard of living going forward has improved much more than their current satisfaction with it.

Four in Five Americans Satisfied with Their Current Standard of Living

A consistent majority of Americans have expressed satisfaction with their standard of living over the past seven years, ranging from 69% in late 2008 to 81% today. However, after fluctuating in an even narrower seven-point range from 2009 through 2013, it rose from 76% at the end of 2013 to 81% at the end of 2014.

CNN for quite a while has become Tabloid News and they no longer report the News, they Manufacture garbage and have been trying to pass it off as News. They have insulted the intelligence of their Viewers, many of whom have since moved away from CNN like they have ignored Fox Misnomer Hate News.

The major Culprits at CNN are; Wolf Blitzer, Candy Crowley, John King, Gloria Borger and most recently, David Gergen, one of many CNN Consultants. It is self evident that their Viewership are so low, which accounts for why CNN Hosts, most of them have become rambunctious, lying, shameless hypocrites.

Prior to the Mid-Term Elections CNN 24/7 beat the drums of a world that was ending because of Terrorists like ISIS and others; Ebola that was killing Americans; Russia was going to start World War 111 and blaming it all on President Obama’s ineffective Presidency. Have you noticed that since the very night of the Mid Term Election Returns, CNN has dropped the “world ending fear,” and if they do speak about it, it is five minutes or less?

The idea that Barack Obama has not been a successful president is myth that was created by his Republican opponents, and embraced by a bitter mainstream media like CNN and others.

This president has been very successful, and history will regard his accomplishments kindly even if the media will never give him his fair due.

CNN’s Candy Crowley tried to spin Obama as an unpopular president coming down the homestretch of his second term, but she was quickly straightened out by a panel of historians who discussed the fact that the president still has plenty of juice left.

CROWLEY: So, he said in jest, sort of. Here is a man who, for six years, has made no secret about the fact that he doesn’t like either the rhythms or the rituals of Washington, D.C. So, he has two years left. Can a man who doesn’t like the rituals or the rhythms of Washington, D.C., make good on those last two years? Put it first – put it into history for me. Who has made good?

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: A lot of presidents made good on their second term when you think about. Look at Ronald Reagan had the Iran-contra problem, but then he was able to do some incredible diplomacy with Mikhail Gorbachev, helping to end the cold war in its last years. I mean, Bill Clinton, his second term I was able to keep driving on that idea of getting a budget surplus, getting rid of our deficit and by the end of his term, he wasn’t (ph) very popular, Al Gore wanted to be seen with him but nevertheless he had an accomplishment there.

So, in foreign affairs, it’s wide open and then you always have executive power, and you’ve seen a president now using the Clean Air Act of 1970, the provisions in it, to lay down executive orders on climate change, on stopping coal emissions or reducing them. So, there’s an environmental legacy and they all sign these big national monuments on their way out. Greater (ph) (INAUDIBLE) –

CROWLEY: Like post offices on a much higher level, right?

BRINKLEY: Yes. I mean, it’s still (INAUDIBLE) we just saw with the executive order on immigration, he still has a lot of juice left in him.

CROWLEY: Yes.

And Karen, what does he care whether — this is a man in his, percentage wise, in the 43, 44, 45 percent. Does he care about that or just take the executive order route and moving on?

KAREN TUMULTY, WASHINGTON POST, NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think he is very much looking toward his legacy at this point.

He came to Washington to sort of change the way it worked. I think he’s given up on that idea. So yes, he’s going to use his executive power. It’s a – it’s going to be a gigantic job just to implement the laws that passed in the first couple years of his term.

And finally you talk to people at the White House and they say that it is very important to the president before he leaves office to use the bully pulpit to sort of change the terms of engagement, so that no future presidential candidate could ever run as opposing gay marriage or as opposed immigration reform. Essentially he wants to leave behind a national conversation that has changed because he was here.

CROWLEY: Richard Norton Smith?

RICHARD NORTON SMITH, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: That’s a lot harder to do. I would agree with Karen. In effect, he created his legacy early. He created his legacy with the Health Care Act, and now he’s going to make sure that it is defended, well-defended and almost invulnerable to the next president, whoever it might be.

That said, you know, we’re not talking about our fathers, let alone our grandfather’s presidency. This is a dynamic office. This is not T.R.’s bully pulpit or FDR’s fireside chats. In many ways a president’s — Harry Truman was the first president to pardon a White House turkey and I guarantee — and he went out of office with a whole lot lower popular approval ratings than this president has at the moment, but in the end it doesn’t matter what the popular approval rating is on the last day in office because guess what? We are the folks who are going to be the ultimate electoral jury…

CROWLEY: Right.

SMITH: …the historians who decided that Harry Truman wasn’t near (ph) a (ph) great president.

CROWLEY: (INAUDIBLE) George H. W. Bush about that, too, out of office with that.

It isn’t that Obama hasn’t done anything. If anything, the president has been a victim of his own early successes in office. As Rachel Maddow pointed out nearly four years ago, President Obama accomplished 85% of his entire first-term agenda in two years.

In 2010, Maddow listed what the president had done in his first two years, “The fair pay act for women, expanding children’s health insurance, new hate crimes legislation they said could not be done, tobacco regulation, credit card reform, student loan reform, the stimulus — which in addition to helping pull this country back from the brink of a great depression, was also the largest tax cut ever, the largest investment in clean energy ever, the largest investment in education in our country ever. There was also a little thing you may have heard of called health reform. Also, Wall Street reform, the improvements to the new G.I. Bill, the most expansive food SAFETY BILL SINCE THE 1930s. And tomorrow, President Obama will officially sign a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The words of Republican Legislator Frederick Douglass on September 25, 1883, couldn’t be any more precise than it is today. Mr. Douglass said of the colored man, in this case, President Obama;

“If he comes in ignorance, rags and wretchedness he conforms to the popular belief of his character, and in that character he is welcome; but if he shall come as a Gentleman, a Scholar and a Statesman, he is hailed as a contradiction to the national faith concerning his race, and his coming is resented as impudence.” [Republican Frederick Douglass, September 25 1883]

Even though when President Obama took Office on January 20, 2009, America was upside-down from the previous administration and millions had lost their homes and those that managed to keep their homes, it was under water. More than a thousand banks had failed wiping out Depositors that had more than $250,000.00 on deposit. Jobs were falling at the rate of 8,000 per month in the last half of 2008 to the point where unemployment stood at 10.2%

The Stock Market had hit severe lows and our financial system was on the verge of collapse. Due to lack of Regulations by Republicans, Crooks, Liars and Thieves had literally pick-pocketed the American people and let us not forget, we had two wars spinning out of control at a cost of 5.1 trillion dollars that was unpaid. We had a 1.1 trillion dollar unpaid bill for two tax cuts for the rich, and the country was hopeless and in despair.

We still have a long way to go, but Mr. Obama has placed the country back on track, irrespective of what the Pollsters, News Media and the disingenuous Republicans try to tell you. Result; 10 Million jobs and unemployment stands at 6.1%; The Banks are stable and so is our financial system; The Housing Market has rebounded; The Stock Market is at all time highs and yet, uninformed, uneducated, ignorant and brainwashed Americans, propelled by the untruths of the Republicans and their Mouth Piece, Fox News, there is a very visible disdain for Mr. Obama.

The chaos in the Middle-East is the direct result of Bush and Cheney’s reckless invasion of Iraq, that took the lives of 4,500 soldiers; wounded 50,000 plus and left 75,000 plus with severe mental problems.

And despite all the good that President Obama has done, he has been treated with the utmost disrespect; obstructed every step of the way by the Do Nothing Republican Congress.

What is amazing about our North Star is he lives up to his calling, because despite the people that totally trashes him in Public, Mr. Obama has never repaid them with evil. People are annoyed with Obama because he is never angered, even in the most difficult of circumstances. President Obama is no contradiction; He is what He is; A Statesman; A Gentleman and a Scholar.

There is something really wrong when Middle Class and Poor Republicans keep voting against their own interest when it is a fact, that the 12 Poorest States in the US are Republicans Run Red-States.

They are last in Education; health care benefits; jobs; or anything productive for their children’s future, but yes, they keep voting Republican. The Republicans do give them full Second Amendment Rights to purchase all the Guns they want and the Open-Carry it where ever they want to take their Guns. Church, Schools, Stores, Restaurants and anywhere their hearts desire.

Republicans have convinced their base that President Obama is a socialist; that he is coming to get their Guns, Donkeys, Cows, their homes, their land and yes, all of their Pigs. Strange enough, these people believe these lying Politicians.

Bill Moyers asked Former President Lyndon Johnson “why do Middle Class and Poor Republicans vote against their interest? President Johnson responded; “take the lowest white man and tell him that he is better than the best black man and he wouldn’t know you are picking his pocket. Hell, give him someone to look down at and he will empty his pockets for you.”

Perhaps that same question can be answered in two ways; Mark Twain said; “it is easier to fool someone than to convince them that they are being fooled.” Another way to answer the question is; “when you are dead you don’t know you are dead, others do, but you don’t. The same philosophy applies to stupidity.

Democrats are not saints but in fairness they do pass Bills and institute programs to help the Middle Class and the Poor, irrespective of Party affiliation. But, Republicans do nothing to help 98% of America but spend their time, effort and your money, protecting the top 2%.

Everyone that is of legal age to vote in November you should vote. However, when you cast your vote ask yourself what has the Republican Party done for you outside of promoting Guns, hate, prejudice, bigotry, anarchy, anarchist, poverty, joblessness and war. Perhaps, just perhaps, you should look back over the past 50 years and see if you can find one Republican that left a smaller budget than they inherited.

Look back and see which Republican President in 50 years spending was [1 ¼%]? That is what President Obama spending is. Reagan was 8.5%; Bush 41 was over 6%; Clinton 3.25%; Bush 43 8.9% and Obama 1.25%. These numbers are not hyperboles, they represent facts and you can verify these numbers using the Government Web Sites.

Poll released today said 33% of Americans think Obama is the worst President since World War 11. Who are these people? Who are the Pollsters Polling?

Gallup published several reports stating that since Cell Phones have far out-paced Land-Lines, it is difficult to obtain any realistic data, because most of the people with Land-Lines are over 60. And, we are fully cognizant that older whites vote Republicans, hence, one has to wonder who the Pollsters are calling. To prove Gallup’s point the Polls all of them predicted that Eric Cantor was going to win by 34 points minimum and we know what has happened to that prediction.

In the like manner that the Republican Congress have been an obstacle to President Obama, willfully using deceitful tactics, it is self evident that the Media that employ educated people are aware that the Polling is worthless, but the Media use faulty Polls to create friction and commotion. ABC has as a guest almost every week on their Sunday show “This Week,” the most arrogant and obnoxious person Bill Crystal and he isn’t the only one. I have stopped looking at that show because Bill Crystal has never given this President any credit for anything and he is always promulgating phantasmagoric rationales and internecine narcissism.

I think it is beyond any reasonable thinking person that are informed, not uninformed, to realize where we were when George W. Bush left Office. We were a country on the verge of Bankruptcy; two badly managed wars; the housing market totally crashed; the stock market, Dow were under 7,000; more than ten million people had lost their jobs and yes to be quite frank, we were in deep and unforgiving waters.

Setting aside partisanship if that is possible for some, you can’t help but see where we are today. 9.6 million Jobs created since Obama took office; the housing market has rebounded; today the Dow closed at 16,976 and the S & P and NASDAQ are also at record highs; our financial Institutions are on sound footing and it seem apparent that the Jobs report that would be published on Thursday because Friday is a Holiday, will reflect in excess of 281,000 jobs created for the month of June.

Obama ended the senseless Iraq War and is ending the 13 years we have been in Afghanistan and he didn’t get us into the dozen or more countries that the Republicans were and is still promulgating.

The News Media and by News Media I mean all of them, Television, Radio and Print, they no longer report the News to the Public, what they all do at the behest of their Corporate Owners is to “render their opinions” to one of the largest number in History of Americans that are uninformed, ignorant and brainwashed. The Media never speaks about race when race is front and center of the Obama Presidency. All one has to do is look at the Trolls on the Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and others and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to ascertain that the disenchantment many have with Obama comes from the Media, Republican Legislators and both, never seem to report anything good that this President has done.

When Bill Moyers asked President Lyndon B. Johnson “Why do Middle-Class and Poor Republicans vote against their best interest?” President Johnson responded; “If you take the lowest white man and convince him that he is better than the best black man, he wouldn’t know you are picking his pocket. Hell, give him someone to look down on and he will empty his pockets for you.” President Johnson’s words may seem like a long time ago, but it is most relevant today, especially when it comes to the Republican Party and their uninformed, ignorant and brainwashed base.

Despite the thousands of lives lost; the tens of thousands wounded and in excess of 1.7 Trillion Dollars spent on George W. Bush’s insane invasion of Iraq, John McCain has gone totally nuts and seems to be constantly on Fox and CNN, stating that we had won in Iraq but McCain is claiming he knew that when we withdraw the Troops out of Iraq, the country would fall into chaos. What did John McCain expect America to do? Keep our Military in Iraq at the cost of billions of dollars per week?

Fact of the matter is that despite the tremendous sacrifice of blood and treasure, we didn’t win anything and what Bush and Cheney broke in 2003 by invading Iraq, they were never able to repair the damage and as outsiders, we cannot fix what is wrong with Iraq by Military means. Any sensible person would know that the divide between the Sunnis and the Shiites have been going on for hundreds of years and the only people that can bring some sanity to Iraq, are the people that got into Power when Bush invaded Iraq.

As we are aware, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that was basically installed by Bush, during the Iraqi election in 2010, al-Maliki didn’t get the majority of votes, but he refused to step down. Al-Maliki refused to sign the Status of Forces Agreement that would have protected Americans from Iraqi Law and it would have allowed President Obama to leave a residual force in Iraq. However, the agreement that was signed by George W Bush called for our total withdrawal at the end of 2011. Hence, without the Status of Forces Agreement, Obama had to withdraw all of the troops.

Al-Maliki, once America had left, he fired all of the Commanders from the army that we had trained and fortified with weapons at a cost of 15 billion dollars. Al-Maliki then hired his cronies that became obligated to him and set Iraq on a downward course that is the result of Iraq’s present predicament. How or what President Obama is going to do, I can’t say, but I would quicker trust Obama’s decision than the war-mongering John McCain and others in the Republican Party.

Twitter @sheriffali

McCain who has taken the position that he is some type of War Expert has a questionable Vietnam record. You be the Judge and read what Command Sergeant John Holland account of John McCain is. Open the link, they are not my words, they are that of Command Sergeant, John Holland.

Command Sergeant John Holland, account of John McCain and the Vietnam War; Hero or Traitor? http://wp.me/p1wG70-vO